Words by Ciaran Coyle
The ECB have announced that Joe Root is stepping down from his role as captain of the England men’s Test team.
Following his side’s 1-0 series defeat in the Caribbean last month, the Yorkshire born cricketer had been under a lot of scrutiny from fans and pundits alike.
Root’s position as skipper was put into question following his side’s 4-0 series defeat down under, which summed up a lacklustre period for the test side, winning only four out of 18 matches since the start of 2021.
The 31 year-old took over from Sir Alastair Cook in 2017 and now holds the record for most test match wins as England captain with 27 victories.
In a statement, Root said stepping down as captain was “The most challenging decision I have had to make in my career.”
“”I am immensely proud to have captained my country and will look back on the past five years with enormous pride. It has been an honour to have done the job and to have been a custodian of what is the pinnacle of English cricket.”
“I have loved leading my country, but recently it’s hit home how much of a toll it has taken on me and the impact it has had on me away from the game.”
“After returning from the Caribbean tour and having time to reflect, I have decided to step down as England Men’s Test captain. It has been the most challenging decision I have had to make in my career but having discussed this with my family and those closest to me; I know the timing is right.”
Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer said “Joe has been an exceptional role model during his tenure, balancing the demands of Test captaincy whilst continuing to shine brilliantly through his own personal performances. He has led by example, and that has resulted in more Test wins than any other England captain, alongside a number of famous series home and away victories.”
“It has been a privilege and a huge pleasure to have worked with him in his capacity as our Men’s Test captain, and I know he’ll continue to drive English cricket forward as a senior player, offering his wealth of experience and advice to support his successor.”
England’s next men’s test match series begins on June 2 as they host New Zealand for a three match series, with Kiwi born Ben Stokes tipped as one of the favourites to replace the outgoing Root as captain.
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